Chinese parasailor hung out to dry by negligent boat driver

A Chinese tourist parasailing too close to shore stayed aloft much longer than planned when his line became tangled in a Jomtien Beach power cable.

A panicked Zhongping Bai, 43, shouted for help Feb. 14 when his 5-meter-wide parachute came down atop a 15-meter-tall utility pole near Jomtien Soi 4. He fell into a tree, where he hung until Pattaya city rescuers could bring a basket truck to pull him out.

Zhongping sustained minor injuries, but a larger bruise to his ego. The driver of the boat hired to tow the tourist through the sky fled the scene to avoid arrest for endangering his customer’s life.

Zhongping Bai’s parasailing ropes became tangled in a utility pole.

A rescue worker tries to free Zhongping from his entanglement in a tree.

A large crowd gathers to watch the ordeal unfold.

The driver of the boat fled the scene before police and rescuers arrived.